Thursday, March 24, 2016

A Beautiful Spring Day at Biltmore House and Gardens and Conservatory

In an earlier post, I mentioned that we, along with some family and friends, took a day trip together last Friday. We drove from our home town of Aiken, South Carolina to Asheville, North Carolina to visit the spectacular Biltmore House and Gardens.

This was our first visit to the Biltmore in the spring season. Our last visit was in late winter of last year (2015). During that visit Biltmore was hosting a wonderful exhibit of costumes from the Downton Abbey series. If you missed that post, you can read about it here! The Biltmore house which, in my opinion, is very much like a castle. It was the perfect setting for the Dressing Downton exhibition. I adore the Downton Abbey series and this exhibition was absolutely dreamy for me!

In this most recent visit, there were still emerging tulip bulbs popping up everywhere in the gardens and the daffodils were in full bloom. For us, the experience was well worth the few hours it took to drive to get there. We arrived at our destination just before 11:00 A.M. and did not get back home until around 10:30 P.M that night. We enjoyed a full day of touring the Biltmore House and Gardens and the awesome four room Biltmore Conservatory.

The line of people outside the house was a little daunting when we first arrived. The weather was perfect, however, and we were able to enjoy that while waiting in line. We moved along very quickly. The fact that we were in the company of family and great friends made the time fly by. In what seemed like no time at all, we were entering the house!

Biltmore House Early Spring Visit

I will post about the Fashionable Romance WEDDING GOWNS IN FILM which is now taking place at Biltmore House. Today, since it spring is popping out all over, I decided to focus this post on the Biltmore's early spring flowering shrubs, bulbs and lawns and conservatory. We were especially struck by the beautiful things that are growing and blooming in the Biltmore's Conservatory. This wonderful greenhouse conservatory is pictured in the background of this photo.

Biltmore Conservatory in Background

The following photograph, taken just outside the conservatory, is of all three or our granddaughters who, coincidentally, happen to be the three youngest of our five grands, as well. Jewelynn, in the middle, looks to be scowling as she bends her head down. Sophie, on the far left is bending her head to the right. My son-in-law loves to play pranks on me. They conspired with the girls when I took this photo. He and his wife, my daughter, are the photo bombers behind the girls!

Our Granddaughters Outside Biltmore Conservatory

Let us take a stroll through the gardens and in to the Biltmore's Conservatory. Perhaps some of you readers are familiar with some of the plants you will see in this pictures. I recognize some of them, such as the lilies, orchids and species more common to the area in which we live, but some of the more tropical ones are not anything I am used to seeing.

I wish there had been markers for each one. One thing is for sure and that is the plants are all fascinating and beautiful!

The Biltmore Conservatory is divided into four rooms. The rooms are the Palm House, the Hot House, the Cool House and the Orchid House.

Dig the bulbous bottom on this plant. The plant leaf in the foreground is, I think, one of the Elephant Ears.

Plants in Biltmore Conservatory

Isn't this next plant strange and exotic looking? What appears to be this plant's very large flower is quite beautiful.The color is so very vivid and striking!

Plants in Biltmore Conservatory

These are, of course, pictures of some of the lilies in the conservatory.

Plants in Biltmore Conservatory

Biltmore Conservatory

Biltmore Conservatory

Biltmore Conservatory

Isn't it wonderful how the plants with variegated, mottled, striped and speckled leaves are placed among the other bright flowering species?

Biltmore Conservatory Flowers

More Flowers in Biltmore Conservatory

Biltmore Conservatory Plants

Deep purples and pinks in blooms and leaves!

The Conservatory at Biltmore

I think the common name for this plant is Wandering Jew. I do not remember seeing one with this elongated a leaf before however, so I may not be correct.

The Conservatory at Biltmore

Plants in Biltmore Conservatory

More speckles and stripes and some pretty daffodils!

Beautiful Plants in Biltmore Conservatory

Sweet bleeding hearts of pink!

Biltmore Conservatory

Inside Biltmore Conservatory

In the Orchid House we found an adorable plant. When I showed my pictures to my daughter and she, who has always had a sharp eye for detail and sees things in a different way for the average person, said these flowers look as if they have faces with long ears and are wearing some strange looking hat or turban. The flowers are kind of neon green in color and so my son-in-law gave it the nick-name of Little Monster Plant. They really do appear to have little faces and, also, little turban looking hats! Since it was in the Orchid House, I set out to find out what kind of orchid it was and discovered it is called Lady Slipper Orchid. Many of the examples I saw look as if they are wearing turbans and have faces! Can you see the little faces wearing turbans?

Lady Slipper Orchid AKA Little Monster Plant

By the way, I can also see why this and other examples are calld Lady Slipper. Can you see the "slipper" in the flower?

More orchids here:

Orchids in Biltmore Conservatory

Orchids in Biltmore Conservatory

Biltmore Orchids

Biltmore Orchids

A few more speciments in the Biltmore Conservatory:

Biltmore House Conservatory

Biltmore Conservatory

Conservatory at Biltmore House

Conservatory at Biltmore House

Plants at Biltmore Conservatory

I snapped a few more pictures as we were heading back up to Biltmore House from the Conservatory.

Gardens at Biltmore

Gardens at Biltmore House

With the trees still bare, Biltmore House can be clearly seen up the hill from the walking path. It looks as if it could be in the English country side from this point. Simply beautiful!

A Beautiful Spot for Relaxing for Awhile at Biltmore House and Gardens

There seems to be art every where the eye can see at the Biltmore House and Gardens. I offer one last picture taken just before walking up the steps leading to the grand and beautiful Biltmore House. A splendid example from the incredible works of art to be witnessed throughout the Biltmore House and Gardens is this magnificent statue!

Statue at Biltmore House and Gardens

I do so hope you have enjoyed my post about our trip to Biltmore House and Gardens. Another post will follow soon about the Fashionable Romance WEDDING GOWNS IN FILMS on exhibit at Biltmore House and Gardens! I would love it if you would come back to visit me here on Mimi Mine!

I will be sharing this post with some great link parties at other wonderful blogspots! If you would like to check out the parties simply click below on the provided links. What fun it is!!

About Me

Happily married wife, mother and grandmother. I love cooking,baking, crafts, sewing, reading and traveling. My God and family are an integral part of my life. My home is my haven and I try to make it inviting, warm and comfortable to all who enter.